Better off
by niliga
Summary: Even though Rachel Pressman would sometimes feel lonely, she had a quiet life. A good life. Up until Campbell Eliot decided that she would be his. After years of bruises, jealousy, and fear, she finally decides to run away. Could she have chosen a better time? Will Luke be able to save her from Campbell - and from herself? Based off of the 1st season of The Society
1. Dreams

I can remember the way my hands wouldn't stop shaking. How my legs were restless, always bouncing up and down in perfect rhythm with the creaky bus's motor. My stomach was in knots, and I knew that even the thought of any food would upset it to the point where I couldn't hold back the bile that gathered at the back of my throat.

Not like it was even an option to think about food. My mind was reeling like an old, used and rusty machine that sometimes got stuck and repeated the same task over and over again. I couldn't even count the times I listed the names of the motels I picked or the buses and trains I would take. Names of streets, cheap diners, relatives and bus stations. I felt like my mind would blow up in a matter of seconds.

Everyone around me was happy. They were chatting excitedly, listening to music or even making out despite the heavy rain that continued to pour down from the heavens. And there I sat alone, my mood turning even sourer. When the bus came to a halt, I swear I felt my own heart stop for a moment. I looked around to find the others just as confused as I was. When the driver announced that we would be going back, at first I felt frightened. Why was this happening? And what would it mean for me?

As I forced myself to calm down and thought about it, I came to realize that it may be better this way. The sooner I can run, the better. My clothes wouldn't be dirty either, so that's also a good thing. I bit my lips to keep myself from smiling. I'm going to be free. Now I could really feel it, deep in my bones. The door that led out of the haunted house was on the horizon. I wouldn't have to be afraid anymore. Everything is going to be fine.

I got off the bus, careful to keep my head down. I looked around from behind the curtain of my hair just to make sure I wasn't seen when I felt a hand grab mine. I jumped and turned around, raising my other arm in front of my face defensively.

"Is everything alright?" I head Cassandra's voice, and I let my hand drop. I forced a smile on my face, nodding.

"Sorry, I was just-" I blurted out, unsure how to explain myself. "You scared me, that's all."

She gave me a look but didn't push the matter any further for which I was eternally grateful. Letting go of my hand, she looked around, and I could see the confusion etched onto her face. "Where is everyone?" She whispered, then took out her phone. I guess the rest is history.

I lay in my bed, staring up at the ceiling. The church was close, I could hear the loud music screaming through my open window. I sighed, turning to my side and glanced at my suitcase laying next to my bed. I wasn't sure that what I was about to do was the right decision. Ever since I decided, I kept thinking about everything I would lose. My friends, my family, my whole life really. What would my parents think when they came home and found my bed empty? Would they search for me? And for how long? But it was the only option. Or it seemed like at the time.

I told myself that I would wait until Allie came home. When they were both asleep safely in their beds. Then I would move. I would write and do everything I planned to do. And I wouldn't look back. I couldn't, because if I did then I would change my mind.

I held my breath from the moment I heard the front door open and Allie's bedroom door close. She was inside. I didn't wait any longer. I got up, checked the time. 02:15. Still early. At my desk, I pulled up a fresh sheet of paper and grabbed a pen. I hesitated. Maybe I didn't know what to write or maybe I didn't want to write. It made this all feel too real.

Mom, Dad, Allie, Cass

I'm sorry. Please don't look for me, I'm okay. It's not your fault. I can't come back. I love you all very, very much and I always will.

Yours,

Rachel

It was short. Way too short. But I couldn't write anything else. They can't know the reason, but they must know that I'm okay. I wanted it to hurt as little as possible. My heart ached just thinking about what it will be like for them to find my note. To know that I'm gone and I'm not coming back. I bit my lip to keep myself from crying as I stood up and grabbed my backpack and suitcase. 2:32. It's now or never.

I got out of the house as quietly as possible. I could still hear the music, but I wasn't worried about that. Everyone there is way too drunk to care about me walking around town at the dead of night. They could think that I'm simply paranoid or something like that. They didn't care before and they sure as hell not going to start now.

I decided to go the long way anyway. I stayed clear of the church, of any kind of activity, making sure no one would see me. The train station wasn't far and I got there in 20 minutes. It was dark, but the lights in the waiting room were lit, like always. The next train would leave at 4:24, yet another fact I have repeated in my mind a hundred times today. I glanced at the time on my phone, then around the station. Noone was nearby and the place was even creepier than usual, but I couldn't quite put my finger on the reason at first. Then I saw it. The tracks leading to Greenwich were covered in moss, bushes, and trees. Where there was nothing yesterday, now stood a dense forest, standing tall and solid, claiming the territory of men as itself once again. My heart started beating rapidly, my mind immediately trying to come up with a sane explanation. I'm dreaming.

I soon found out that I wasn't in fact dreaming. Or if I was it was a rather realistic nightmare and one from which I seemed unable to wake up. I walked up to the bridge but came up with the same exact result. The road ended where the forest began, closing me off of the rest of the world. I was running now. Straight across town, to another exit, to make sure that my mind was just playing tricks on me and everything is alright. By the time I got there, the sun started to come up. I was panting as I fell to my knees, nails digging into the asphalt, and as I felt the pain, a sob left my mouth. I realized that I was shaking as I took out my phone and called the only person I knew would come up with a solution.

"C-Cass?" I managed to say, bloody hands clutching the phone so hard, my knuckles turned white. "Something's wrong."


	2. All Alone

"Rachel, you have to calm down." The only thing that managed to break the waterfall of my tears was Allie's soft voice, coming from my side. I could feel her small hand on my back, drawing soothing circles on my shirt. Despite her best efforts, he couldn't put an end to the hysterical sobs that kept on escaping from my mouth. I knew that everyone was watching me, I could feel them staring, the gazes burning holes in me like small bullets, coming from every single direction. They didn't quite understand my outburst, I could tell that much. They probably thought that it was about not being able to drive to my parents, or that I was just afraid and confused like they all were. But it wasn't that. It wasn't that and nobody knew the truth, nobody could know. I didn't care who was watching. I didn't care about the whispers and their pity. I didn't care about anything. All I wanted was for the earth to open up and swallow me, freeing me from this endless misery, this prison I learned to call home.

"Leave me alone," I whispered, pulling up my knees and dropping my head between them. I could feel my heart beating faster and faster, almost as it was trying to break out of my chest. I heard my therapist's calm voice in my head then, telling me to breathe. My fingers tangled into my hair as I held my head, afraid it might burst. The blood leaking from my torn fingernails painted my golden locks crimson red, but I didn't care about that either. I saw stars from the number of tears I shed, and the headache was maddening. Breathe.

"Your hands!" Allie exclaimed, pulling the body part she pointed out into her own, tearing some of my hair out in the process. "We have to take you to the doctor."

I suddenly had the urge to laugh. I lifted my head slowly and I looked at her, cheeks black from the smeared mascara. "What doctor, Al? Don't you get it? There are no doctors. There are no parents. There's no one but us. A couple of idiotic, helpless kids." My voice was more bitter than I wanted it to be, but I couldn't help it. In that moment, it felt like someone pulled the rug from under me. There was no plan. No way out. No escape. The world in which we were forced to live in now was a big, gilded cage. A prison. Just breathe. I sucked air into my lungs, panting as hard as someone who just ran the marathon. My vision slowly started to clear, the stars disappearing one by one.

"You don't know that," as she said it, her voice broke, and so did my heart a little more. I looked at her then and saw the unshed tears in her eyes and felt guilt stab me hard in the heart. I could let myself be miserable later. I can't hurt my sister with my problems. I had to be strong for her. So I swallowed my tears and nodded, tucking her messy curls behind her ear, forcing my mind up from the deep, black hole it fell into, guiding it somewhere else, into a different box filled with lies.

"You're right. I'm sorry, Al. You're right," I kept repeating, hugging her close to me. "There's an explanation for all this. It's going to be okay." She let me hold her and stroke her hair, and I let my fingers brush out the knots that were left there either as a result of last night's party or the small amount of sleep she managed to get before I called our sister sobbing, startling the whole town awake in the process.

Allie put her arms around me and we just sat there together, relishing each other's company, enjoying this solid, little oasis in the ocean of chaos that surrounded us. I sighed as I felt my tense body relax, finally opening my eyes and carrying my gaze over the crowd that gathered around us. My eyes briefly met Luke's before I looked away, my face heating up. His face had worry written all over it. Was he worried about me? I stopped myself from going down that road. Letting myself even think of him have caused me enough trouble in the past. I couldn't let myself commit the same mistakes.

"Rach!" the sound of my name paralyzed my entire body once again. Allie felt me tensing and pulled away, confusion crumpling up her face as she looked up at me. Then she heard it too. "Rach, hey. Are you alright? What happened?" I couldn't move. I kept staring at Allie with wide eyes as he reached for me, and the closer he got, the more rapid my breathing became. Her eyes focused on me, then him again and again, clearly panicked, not knowing what to do.

"We still have to take you to a doctor," Cassandra said, pulling me to my feet before he could touch me. "Get that cleaned up for you." She then smiled at me and squeezed my hand reassuringly, putting her body between me and the intruder. I sniffled and nodded, unable to form proper words of gratitude. She was always there right when I needed her. My savior. Everyone's savior.

"I can take her."

"No," my sister said without missing a beat. "No, Campbell, thank you. Allie has got it, I'm sure Gordie can help you too," she smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Yeah, It's alright. Come on, Rachel, let's find him." I then went with my other sister, not glancing in Campbell's direction again, even though I could feel his eyes burning a hole into my back.

"What happened?" Gordie asked while cleaning my index finger. I did not feel the pain before, but now I sure could with the antiseptic burning the wounds. When he realized that I wasn't going to answer, he looked at Allie, who was sitting at the counter, but she too remained silent, simply shrugging her shoulders.

"We found her like this on the road. Well, not exactly found. She called Cassandra in the middle of the night telling that something was wrong. I think she tried to... to claw at the asphalt?" I could feel my cheeks heat up again at the words. It seemed so foolish, so childish now. But in those moments of agony, it felt good to feel the pain that could distract me from the wounds that were inside.

"Something's wrong? What's wrong?" he asked, lifting his head again. "Is Cassandra okay?" I didn't miss the worry in his voice. It made me think of Luke again. The way he looked at me... It was...

"She's okay. As okay as she can be," Allie averted her gaze, looking at the carpet instead. "The town... it's..." she struggled to find the right words, which I understood. I couldn't phrase the thing I saw or the way I felt. No words came close to them. "The exits are blocked by the forest. All of them."

"Even the train tracks," I said, the first words I spoke since we left the road. Both of them looked at me, but I kept my gaze on the ground. "I... I wanted to leave," I admitted, the shame evident in my voice. What was I thinking? How could I leave my sisters behind? What about Gordie, Bean, Sam, and Becca? How could I be so selfish?

"Why?" Allie asked, but there was no rush in her voice. She talked to me like I was a rabbit she wished to hold, and she was afraid that if she moved too fast, I would bolt. Maybe I would have.

"I..." I started, but I couldn't finish. I could feel the tears coming back, but I didn't want to cry again. My head already hurt like hell and I could barely keep my swollen eyelids open. All I wanted was to sleep. So I just shook my head, turning away from them again.

Gordie finished cleaning my hands in silence. All three of our minds were racing, trying to come up with a sensible explanation which just wasn't there. People don't just disappear and forests don't grow overnight. If somebody asked me then, I would have said that it was all Campbell's doing, because he was the son of the devil himself, and upon sensing my plans of escape he fabricated this forest to keep me here with him forever. Of course, deep down I knew that was impossible. But when the limits of impossible are challenged, your mind goes to the craziest of places. If this was possible, if this was reality now, why couldn't that be?

We went to the church together later to listen to my sister's speech. It was no surprise that she would take control, find a solution to all this. She just always knew what needed to be done, something that I have always admired in her. I heard her talking, but I couldn't listen. I could feel eyes on me again, burning into my skin. The hysterical show I put on on the road sure left its mark in people's minds. I crossed my arms in front of my chest and kept my gaze on my knees, not risking to catch anyone's gaze.

When we heard the shot, we all dropped to the floor, like little robots, did what we were taught in school. I breathed like a wild animal caught in the headlights, my gaze fixing on a point, my eyes unable to leave his. I gripped the bench I sat on to keep my hands from trembling. He had a gun.

I followed him with my eyes as he talked, but he was no longer looking at me, but at my sister. I hated him even more for that. I almost got up, but Allie was quicker, placing herself between him and Cassandra. I could see their mouths moving, but I could not make out the words they were saying from the blood pumping in my ear.

"Campbell," I said, and my voice almost sounded gentle. He glanced at me, his face twitching, almost like he wanted to smile. But he did not put the gun down.

"I don't want to shoot you," he said, and suddenly I could breathe again. I looked at my sisters, still frightened, afraid of what he might do. "I wanted to get everybody's attention. This meeting is obviously over. We will be back when Luke gets here," he said, and now he looked straight at me, quirking an eyebrow. I looked away, trying to cover the blush that appeared on my cheeks. " 'Til then if anybody else is tired of listening to her, follow me."

I didn't even have time to blink before he grabbed my arm and pulled me to him. As I looked at him, he gave me one of his signature smirks and planted a kiss on my lips. I wanted to scream, cry and claw at his face all at once, but I didn't. I just let him take my hand and lead me away, and I did not look back, but grabbed his arm with my free hand and squeezed it to keep myself from crying. At least that's what I told myself. But when he looked at me with softness in his eyes and kissed my forehead, I felt something other than fear. Something I always felt after he fucked me while his rough hands were around my throat, blocking my oxygen for so long I almost fainted, or after he hit me so hard I fell on my knees, then didn't stop. Oh, but after. After he was different. He was soft and caring and I always loved those moments, because they made it feel like it was all worth it, like it would never be like that again and it would always be like this. Soft, sweet and warm, as it should be. I always loved him after, hated him during and feared him in between. It was a vicious circle.

We were almost outside - the door just an arm away, when it abruptly opened. First, I saw Grizz. His eyes were bloodshot, unseeing, different. I wondered what had happened, but the answer came walking right after him, in the form of Luke. He was carrying a girl in his arms. A girl - Emily. The same Emily who I sat next to in first grade, who braided my hair before the annual hike, who always let me borrow her French homework. Her head bent back, her body rigid - clearly dead. I gasped, stepping aside, still clutching Campbell, my hand gripping his arm stronger for which he would have been angry for, but in a moment like this, even he was silent. With one arm around my shoulders, he pulled me closer, pressing a kiss into my hair.

I broke out of his embrace and rushed to the door. Nobody was looking at me now, at least. They had something even more frightening to watch. I was out of there before Campbell or anyone else had a chance to stop me. I emptied the content of my stomach into a nearby bush, then I sat down on the steps, hugging myself. I felt strong arms envelop me, kisses on my neck and shoulders like they were trying to shoot me, but I pulled away.

"Don't do that," he said, his voice deep - a warning. "Don't pull away from me again. Rach, don't do this."

"Stay away from me," I said, my voice barely a whisper. My whole body was shaking, my eyes shut. "I want to be alone."

"Why were you on that road with your bags?" he demanded to know, dismissing my plea, his voice, his posture, his whole persona changing before my eyes. "What were you doing there?"

"Jesus fucking Christ, Campbell!" I blurted out. "Emily just died and all you fucking care about is why I was on the road. Who the fuck cares? Did you see their faces? There's nothing there. Nothing, do you understand? We're all alone in this fucking town and no one is coming to get us."

"We have always been alone," he said quietly, gazing into my eyes before he stood up and walked back inside. I couldn't help but wonder if he was right. We were all alone, but we had each other. That was what he would always tell me. But was it true or was it just another thought he managed to plant into my naive mind?


	3. Replaceable

"Rachel, you have to calm down." The only thing that managed to break the waterfall of my tears was Allie's soft voice, coming from my side. I could feel her small hand on my back, drawing soothing circles on my shirt. Despite her best efforts, he couldn't put an end to the hysterical sobs that kept on escaping from my mouth. I knew that everyone was watching me, I could feel them staring, the gazes burning holes in me like small bullets, coming from every single direction. They didn't quite understand my outburst, I could tell that much. They probably thought that it was about not being able to drive to my parents, or that I was just afraid and confused like they all were. But it wasn't that. It wasn't that and nobody knew the truth, nobody could know. I didn't care who was watching. I didn't care about the whispers and their pity. I didn't care about anything. All I wanted was for the earth to open up and swallow me, freeing me from this endless misery, this prison I learned to call home.

"Leave me alone," I whispered, pulling up my knees and dropping my head between them. I could feel my heart beating faster and faster, almost as it was trying to break out of my chest. I heard my therapist's calm voice in my head then, telling me to breathe. My fingers tangled into my hair as I held my head, afraid it might burst. The blood leaking from my torn fingernails painted my golden locks crimson red, but I didn't care about that either. I saw stars from the number of tears I shed, and the headache was maddening. Breathe.

"Your hands!" Allie exclaimed, pulling the body part she pointed out into her own, tearing some of my hair out in the process. "We have to take you to the doctor."

I suddenly had the urge to laugh. I lifted my head slowly and I looked at her, cheeks black from the smeared mascara. "What doctor, Al? Don't you get it? There are no doctors. There are no parents. There's no one but us. A couple of idiotic, helpless kids." My voice was more bitter than I wanted it to be, but I couldn't help it. In that moment, it felt like someone pulled the rug from under me. There was no plan. No way out. No escape. The world in which we were forced to live in now was a big, gilded cage. A prison. Just breathe. I sucked air into my lungs, panting as hard as someone who just ran the marathon. My vision slowly started to clear, the stars disappearing one by one.

"You don't know that," as she said it, her voice broke, and so did my heart a little more. I looked at her then and saw the unshed tears in her eyes and felt guilt stab me hard in the heart. I could let myself be miserable later. I can't hurt my sister with my problems. I had to be strong for her. So I swallowed my tears and nodded, tucking her messy curls behind her ear, forcing my mind up from the deep, black hole it fell into, guiding it somewhere else, into a different box filled with lies.

"You're right. I'm sorry, Al. You're right," I kept repeating, hugging her close to me. "There's an explanation for all this. It's going to be okay." She let me hold her and stroke her hair, and I let my fingers brush out the knots that were left there either as a result of last night's party or the small amount of sleep she managed to get before I called our sister sobbing, startling the whole town awake in the process.

Allie put her arms around me and we just sat there together, relishing each other's company, enjoying this solid, little oasis in the ocean of chaos that surrounded us. I sighed as I felt my tense body relax, finally opening my eyes and carrying my gaze over the crowd that gathered around us. My eyes briefly met Luke's before I looked away, my face heating up. His face had worry written all over it. Was he worried about me? I stopped myself from going down that road. Letting myself even think of him have caused me enough trouble in the past. I couldn't let myself commit the same mistakes.

"Rach!" the sound of my name paralyzed my entire body once again. Allie felt me tensing and pulled away, confusion crumpling up her face as she looked up at me. Then she heard it too. "Rach, hey. Are you alright? What happened?" I couldn't move. I kept staring at Allie with wide eyes as he reached for me, and the closer he got, the more rapid my breathing became. Her eyes focused on me, then him again and again, clearly panicked, not knowing what to do.

"We still have to take you to a doctor," Cassandra said, pulling me to my feet before he could touch me. "Get that cleaned up for you." She then smiled at me and squeezed my hand reassuringly, putting her body between me and the intruder. I sniffled and nodded, unable to form proper words of gratitude. She was always there right when I needed her. My savior. Everyone's savior.

"I can take her."

"No," my sister said without missing a beat. "No, Campbell, thank you. Allie has got it, I'm sure Gordie can help you too," she smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Yeah, It's alright. Come on, Rachel, let's find him." I then went with my other sister, not glancing in Campbell's direction again, even though I could feel his eyes burning a hole into my back.

"What happened?" Gordie asked while cleaning my index finger. I did not feel the pain before, but now I sure could with the antiseptic burning the wounds. When he realized that I wasn't going to answer, he looked at Allie, who was sitting at the counter, but she too remained silent, simply shrugging her shoulders.

"We found her like this on the road. Well, not exactly found. She called Cassandra in the middle of the night telling that something was wrong. I think she tried to... to claw at the asphalt?" I could feel my cheeks heat up again at the words. It seemed so foolish, so childish now. But in those moments of agony, it felt good to feel the pain that could distract me from the wounds that were inside.

"Something's wrong? What's wrong?" he asked, lifting his head again. "Is Cassandra okay?" I didn't miss the worry in his voice. It made me think of Luke again. The way he looked at me... It was...

"She's okay. As okay as she can be," Allie averted her gaze, looking at the carpet instead. "The town... it's..." she struggled to find the right words, which I understood. I couldn't phrase the thing I saw or the way I felt. No words came close to them. "The exits are blocked by the forest. All of them."

"Even the train tracks," I said, the first words I spoke since we left the road. Both of them looked at me, but I kept my gaze on the ground. "I... I wanted to leave," I admitted, the shame evident in my voice. What was I thinking? How could I leave my sisters behind? What about Gordie, Bean, Sam, and Becca? How could I be so selfish?

"Why?" Allie asked, but there was no rush in her voice. She talked to me like I was a rabbit she wished to hold, and she was afraid that if she moved too fast, I would bolt. Maybe I would have.

"I..." I started, but I couldn't finish. I could feel the tears coming back, but I didn't want to cry again. My head already hurt like hell and I could barely keep my swollen eyelids open. All I wanted was to sleep. So I just shook my head, turning away from them again.

Gordie finished cleaning my hands in silence. All three of our minds were racing, trying to come up with a sensible explanation which just wasn't there. People don't just disappear and forests don't grow overnight. If somebody asked me then, I would have said that it was all Campbell's doing, because he was the son of the devil himself, and upon sensing my plans of escape he fabricated this forest to keep me here with him forever. Of course, deep down I knew that was impossible. But when the limits of impossible are challenged, your mind goes to the craziest of places. If this was possible, if this was reality now, why couldn't that be?

We went to the church together later to listen to my sister's speech. It was no surprise that she would take control, find a solution to all this. She just always knew what needed to be done, something that I have always admired in her. I heard her talking, but I couldn't listen. I could feel eyes on me again, burning into my skin. The hysterical show I put on on the road sure left its mark in people's minds. I crossed my arms in front of my chest and kept my gaze on my knees, not risking to catch anyone's gaze.

When we heard the shot, we all dropped to the floor, like little robots, did what we were taught in school. I breathed like a wild animal caught in the headlights, my gaze fixing on a point, my eyes unable to leave his. I gripped the bench I sat on to keep my hands from trembling. He had a gun.

I followed him with my eyes as he talked, but he was no longer looking at me, but at my sister. I hated him even more for that. I almost got up, but Allie was quicker, placing herself between him and Cassandra. I could see their mouths moving, but I could not make out the words they were saying from the blood pumping in my ear.

"Campbell," I said, and my voice almost sounded gentle. He glanced at me, his face twitching, almost like he wanted to smile. But he did not put the gun down.

"I don't want to shoot you," he said, and suddenly I could breathe again. I looked at my sisters, still frightened, afraid of what he might do. "I wanted to get everybody's attention. This meeting is obviously over. We will be back when Luke gets here," he said, and now he looked straight at me, quirking an eyebrow. I looked away, trying to cover the blush that appeared on my cheeks. " 'Til then if anybody else is tired of listening to her, follow me."

I didn't even have time to blink before he grabbed my arm and pulled me to him. As I looked at him, he gave me one of his signature smirks and planted a kiss on my lips. I wanted to scream, cry and claw at his face all at once, but I didn't. I just let him take my hand and lead me away, and I did not look back, but grabbed his arm with my free hand and squeezed it to keep myself from crying. At least that's what I told myself. But when he looked at me with softness in his eyes and kissed my forehead, I felt something other than fear. Something I always felt after he fucked me while his rough hands were around my throat, blocking my oxygen for so long I almost fainted, or after he hit me so hard I fell on my knees, then didn't stop. Oh, but after. After he was different. He was soft and caring and I always loved those moments, because they made it feel like it was all worth it, like it would never be like that again and it would always be like this. Soft, sweet and warm, as it should be. I always loved him after, hated him during and feared him in between. It was a vicious circle.

We were almost outside - the door just an arm away, when it abruptly opened. First, I saw Grizz. His eyes were bloodshot, unseeing, different. I wondered what had happened, but the answer came walking right after him, in the form of Luke. He was carrying a girl in his arms. A girl - Emily. The same Emily who I sat next to in first grade, who braided my hair before the annual hike, who always let me borrow her French homework. Her head bent back, her body rigid - clearly dead. I gasped, stepping aside, still clutching Campbell, my hand gripping his arm stronger for which he would have been angry for, but in a moment like this, even he was silent. With one arm around my shoulders, he pulled me closer, pressing a kiss into my hair.

I broke out of his embrace and rushed to the door. Nobody was looking at me now, at least. They had something even more frightening to watch. I was out of there before Campbell or anyone else had a chance to stop me. I emptied the content of my stomach into a nearby bush, then I sat down on the steps, hugging myself. I felt strong arms envelop me, kisses on my neck and shoulders like they were trying to shoot me, but I pulled away.

"Don't do that," he said, his voice deep - a warning. "Don't pull away from me again. Rach, don't do this."

"Stay away from me," I said, my voice barely a whisper. My whole body was shaking, my eyes shut. "I want to be alone."

"Why were you on that road with your bags?" he demanded to know, dismissing my plea, his voice, his posture, his whole persona changing before my eyes. "What were you doing there?"

"Jesus fucking Christ, Campbell!" I blurted out. "Emily just died and all you fucking care about is why I was on the road. Who the fuck cares? Did you see their faces? There's nothing there. Nothing, do you understand? We're all alone in this fucking town and no one is coming to get us."

"We have always been alone," he said quietly, gazing into my eyes before he stood up and walked back inside. I couldn't help but wonder if he was right. We were all alone, but we had each other. That was what he would always tell me. But was it true or was it just another thought he managed to plant into my naive mind?


	4. Fugitives

I ended up sitting in the living room, again. I decided on reading a book, either to occupy my mind or to pass the time. It was one of my favorites, the Lord of the Flies, a piece I discovered through a friend back in middle school. It was a lot more depressing now than I have remembered, or maybe it was only our situation that made it so. Despite the melancholy that approached me, I couldn't bring myself to put it down. As I was reading, I felt like I was in a different world, away from all the fucked-up stuff that has happened in the last weeks. Inside that book, those people weren't real. Sure, they suffered, as everyone else does, but oftentimes it helps to focus on someone else's suffering instead of your own.

I only lifted my head up at the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. When Allie's blonde head appeared, I raised my brows, forgetting the book completely.

"Going somewhere?" I asked, and she shrugged, too busy pulling on her boots. "C' mon, don't leave me hanging," I said, giving her a small smile. I knew how she hated seeing me sad, for even on the days when my anxiety would worsen, she always tried to make me smile, coming up with the stupidest of jokes.

"I think I'm gonna join that fugitive party. Wanna come?" she asked, which caught me by surprise.

The green-eyed monster blinked awake inside of me as the memory of Campbell's words came flooding through the gates of my mind. I bit my lip, glancing down at my book, contemplating.

"Sure. It would be nice to get away from all this," I said, putting down the book and standing up. I pulled my hair into a ponytail as we started walking, trying to keep up with Allie.

"Are you in a hurry, big sister?" I asked teasingly, laughing a little as I hopped to catch up with her. "Maybe somebody's waiting for you?"

"No," she said, dragging the 'o' out, which answered my question. I gave her a knowing look, and she groaned, covering her face with her hands. "Harry might have invited me," she admitted, and I couldn't hide the shock that rearranged my features in a matter of seconds.

"Harry? Harry Bingham?" I asked, just to make sure I heard her right. She just nodded her head, and I suddenly didn't know what to say. "Isn't he dating Kelly Aldrich?"

"I guess he's not," she shrugged again, looking around. We could see the people now, standing in a group in the parking lot, around a police car. How did they manage that?

Luke was the first one I noticed. He stood with his group of friends - Clark and Jason were both by his side along with other guys. When I spotted him, he was already looking in our direction, and then smiled and me. I blushed and instinctively smiled back, running my hands through my hair and looking away the next minute, pretending as if nothing happened. But when I looked up, I saw Campbell's deadly gaze. He must have seen the exchange. My smile was gone and a look of fear took its place. It was a really bad idea to come here. What was I thinking? Did I want to take Campbell's offer? I wasn't stupid. I knew I shouldn't.

"Fugitives! Your three minutes starts now." Harry shouted while standing on the trunk of a car and half of the people there took off running.

I looked around, a bit startled, then joined them, leaving my sister standing at the edge of the road. I did not look back.

The rush of adrenaline that coursed through my veins felt like a breath of fresh air. My mind focused on one thing: getting to the church. My heart was beating fast from the excitement of being chased down. I did not want to get caught. I wanted to win. Or did I? I grinned, increasing my speed, running along with the others. As the minutes passed, we heard the cars. Let the chase begin.

I glanced back over my shoulder, seeing the spotlights shine bright in the early dusk. Biting my lips, I left the road behind to jump over a white fence, sprinting through an abandoned backyard. I heard cars stop and start again, screams and laughter from all around. The thrill was intoxicating. I never wanted it to stop. Never wanted to think again, to face the problems of the real world, whatever reality it was in.

I jumped over another fence, running over the road, careful not to step into the halo of the streetlights. As I reached the perimeter of another house, I heard a car stop close. Too close. I ran faster, seeing my next destination: yet another fence. Who knew jumping fences could be so fun? I never understood why people did it in high school. It was but an arm away when I felt strong arms around my waist, and in the next minute, I was on the ground, the fresh, green grass stroking my face. I let out a loud, exhilarated laugh and turned on my back, looking at my captor, grinning ear to ear.

"I've got you," he said, his blue eyes twinkling in the dark, and I laughed again, then bit my lips, unable to tear my eyes away from Luke's. They were too damn beautiful.

"You might have sprained my ankle," I said, trying to force my face into a grimace, but my features abandoned me for I couldn't bring myself to stop smiling.

"We wouldn't what that to happen again, would we?" he asked, then he was suddenly closer, maybe just too close, or maybe close enough. No, it wasn't enough. He tucked the locks that escaped my ponytail behind my ear, and leaned close, supporting himself with his other arm.

His body was so warm, his pink lips too inviting to refuse. He let out a shaky breath and I was about to close my eyes when a loud voice caused us to quickly pull away from one another.

"Did you catch her?" Jason asked as he walked towards us, and I glanced at Luke, licking my lips without registering what I was doing.

"Yeah," he said with a grin, although his face was red as he glimpsed in my direction. "Let's take her to prison." He then stood up and winked down at me, offering his hand.

I couldn't help but smile as I took it, standing up, letting them lead me to the gazebo. My good mood vanished however, for when I looked long enough into the shadows, I could see Campbell following the three of us with his eyes.

He saw me. He saw us. History repeated itself once again, but I did not want to let it go on as it did last time. In the past, when I let Luke get too close to me after accidentally bumping into me while I was running, Campbell heard about it and it was me who kept on apologizing between sobs as he raged, bruises of all the shades of purple, red and yellow adorning my skin like a small child have decided to try the newest colors of crayons out on my skin.

Upon reaching the gazebo, we found many people already there. I sat down in the grass, playing with my shoelaces, waiting for the others to arrive. I did not expect Luke to sit next to me. I was lost in my thoughts, in memories of the past that were way too painful and shouldn't have been brought up when I was around people. But when he spoke, the images disappeared, and my mind focused on him, shutting out everything else.

"What's wrong?" he asked, bumping his shoulder gently with his. "You were having fun minutes ago. Did losing get to you that much?" he grinned, raising an eyebrow. I just rolled my eyes, but couldn't contain the smile that spread across my face.

"What can I say? I'm a sore loser," I laughed, looking away from him. I was afraid that if I gazed into those blue eyes for too long, I would lose control again and do something we both might come to regret later. "Always have been."

"Oh, I know. I remember when you brought that board game to elementary school, and I beat you. You know, I was the first with my yellow human, and you finished second with the... green human. The six other people who were playing were obviously after you, but I wasn't." As he was speaking, I could feel his gaze on me, traveling from my hair to my hands, still playing with my shoes. I couldn't bring myself to look at him. "I think that was the moment you started to hate me."

I would have laughed, but his voice was serious. I looked at him, smiling, but still confused, tilting my head to the side slightly.

"I didn't hate you, Luke. I don't hate you."

"I don't believe you," he said without flinching, looking me straight in the eyes.

I didn't know what kind of game he was playing and wasn't sure how I should answer. He couldn't possibly think that I hated him after all that happened. It wasn't him I hated. It was Campbell. It was me.

"Well," I said, laughing, turning my head away again. I didn't like to look at people for too long. It left me feeling vulnerable and I hated that feeling. I really did. "I really don't hate you."

"Prove it." His voice was challenging and I would have sworn that I could sense something else in his tone, something I couldn't quite understand then.

"How?" I simply asked, my face turning pink from the thoughts that crossed my mind. He shouldn't talk to me like this. He knew that.

"Come to Harry's party. Many people will be there. Probably including your sister, so-" he didn't finish, only shrugged.

I glanced at him, contemplating my options. It was either the party, something I haven't been to, like, ever or being at home with the Lord of the Flies.

"Okay."

We walked there, but it wasn't Luke, nor Allie who I talked with during those minutes. I walked next to Jason, talking about anything but the fact that we were trapped in a ghost town which was probably in another universe. I don't know what made my social anxiety disappear. Was it the rush of adrenaline that has not left my body yet? Or was it Luke, who was walking just ahead of me between Helena and Clark and always seemed to make me feel better somehow? Of course, his girlfriend would be at the party. I didn't let myself feel disappointed. He invited me as a friend because he knew I didn't have that many of them. And I was more than okay with that. I liked him. I liked to talk to him, to make him laugh and see as his eyes lit up every time he smiled. Platonically.

"What would you have been?" Jason asked, and I smiled at the question. I looked up at the stars above us, touching my lips with a finger.

"A biologist of some sorts, I think. Well, psychology was also something I cared about. Care," I corrected myself. "What about you?"

"Well," he sighed, grimacing. "Many people have asked me that question before. I was thinking about going pro, but let's be honest, there's not a big chance that was ever going to happen. So I always said that I didn't know. I also thought about the army, or being a personal trainer, something like that."

"Yeah, you love sports, we get it," I laughed, and I was glad he laughed along with me.

For maybe the first time in my life, I felt accepted, like I belonged. I would have asked him about his family, maybe his girlfriend. I actually liked talking to him. But we got to Harry's house and everyone went their separate ways.

"Catch you later," he said before disappearing behind a door, and I just stood there awkwardly for a moment, gripping my arm, but then I felt a tiny hand on my shoulder and my body relaxed again.

"What are you doing here?" Allie asked grinning as she reached me, pulling up a brow. "Are you here with someone?"

"No-" I said, probably way too fast. I could feel my face heat up as I continued. "I mean, Luke invited me, and it seemed better than reading alone at home, so. Here I am," I smiled, shrugging and she laughed, hugging my shoulders as we started walking to the pool.

"Okay, yeah, I hope you know that Helena's here," she said and I groaned, turning my face away to make sure no one heard her.

"Yes, I'm aware. Why wouldn't she be here? He's Luke's girlfriend."

"You sound like that fact doesn't bother you," she said, smiling knowingly at me, grabbing a bottle of beer from a crate and handing it to me, then getting one for herself.

"Why would it?" I asked as I opened the bottle, my voice a bit higher than it should have been.

"Why wouldn't it? Do you actually see me? I'm your sister, Rachel. You can't fool me, you know," she tilted her head slightly, then took a swing.

Over her shoulder, I spotted them. he was sitting on a lounge chair with Helena by his side, her leg over his, talking, clearly enjoying each other's company. I swallowed, unable to tear my gaze away from them. My sister looked in the same direction and sighed as she too, saw the couple.

"He's so much better than Campbell."

Her words cut deep, but they were very true. Subconsciously I compared everything they did. The way they acted, how they talked to me, how they looked at me. They were complete opposites. Luke was the kind of guy I was supposed to end up with - nice, smart, funny, reliable, responsible. And Campbell was the kind your parents warned you about - dangerous. They had their similarities. Their eyes would sometimes carry similar messages, their touch felt almost the same. And the reactions they managed to get out of me - yeah, they were definitely similar.

"He's looking at you," Allie whispered, and he really was. I did not know when exactly, but at one point our eyes connected over her girlfriend's shoulder, and as I realized what was happening I blushed, turning away, sipping my beer instead. Was it really hot or was it just me? "Holy fuck, what was that? Did you see that? You did, oh my god," she laughed again, shaking her head. "I swear I thought they were going to get married and have seven kids, and then you just waltz in in your yellow top and he just undresses you with his eyes while talking to his girlfriend. Holy. Fuck. Rachel. When did you become cool?"

"Stop it," I laughed, pushing her lightly. "How are you already drunk? You had like two sips."

"Yeah, I'm gonna go now, talk to Harry. Meanwhile, while that dumb kid over there realizes that he has to break up with his girlfriend, you could find some candy for yourself, huh?" she said, raising her eyebrows suggestively and I just laughed, again.

"Shoo," I pushed her and she went, more than willing to sit next to Harry, who has clearly been looking in our direction for the past minutes.

I also found a lounge chair for myself, then was accompanied by Jason and Erika. I talked to them through the night, occasionally glancing in Luke's direction, often catching his eyes. I didn't know what it meant or what I was supposed to do about it. The kind of games he plays - I was not familiar with them, never had to participate in similar before.

When the rain started, I went inside with everyone else, not surprised to see the secret smiles Allie and Harry exchanged in the kitchen. I was focused on them, trying to figure out what has happened, which wasn't a big mystery - anyone who had eyes could tell that they slept together. When I felt fingers playing with the ends of my hair, I stiffened, looking at my side and finding Luke glancing at me. He didn't hold my gaze this time, but looked back at Harry, his fingers never leaving my locks. I felt butterflies in my stomach, which was as stupid as it sounds. I glanced around quickly and saw Helena's back, facing away from us. This was ridiculous.

"All right. Expedition to the hardware store for flashlights. Who's in?" Clark asked and I stood up immediately.

"I'll go," I said and I saw Jason and Erika stand up as well. As I turned around and glanced down at Luke, I saw something like disappointment in his eyes.

"Don't leave without me," I heard Allie from inside, but I was already in the rain.

We all got into Clark's car, driving to the store, although my mind was really, really far from flashlights and electricity.

"You okay?" Allie asked from next to me, and I nodded, not looking at her.

Erika smiled at me from the other side, like she knew what was going on. Who knows, maybe she did. Maybe the guys placed a bet to see if a nerd would open her legs for a jock. I knew how bad and crazy it sounded. Still, my mind found that to be the only sensible explanation as to why they suddenly all seemed to like me - especially Luke who had his beautiful, perfect girlfriend.

I did not have much time to think, which was a blessing, really. We got to the store, but the door was already open, and people were running in and out. Well, we probably aren't going to get any flashlights. We got out and watched as the boys raced inside, backing away from the scene, away from the rain.

"This isn't gonna end well," Erika said, scanning the crowd with wide eyes, clutching my arm. Surprisingly, I agreed with her. I could feel it in my bones - a storm was coming, one way worse than this one.

It only took seconds for the fighting to begin. We watched it in horror, unable to mutter a single word. As Cassandra, Gordie, Harry, Nick, and Kelly appeared, our group was complete - probably too big already. Nobody was able to stop them now. I wondered if the future would be any different.


End file.
